Harrington makes one valid point here that so far seems to have been avoided by most observers. And that is Japan and South Korea are at the top of NK's nuclear target list because both host US military bases. Not because the Korean War never ended, not because of historical hostilities, but because they host American military bases. Part of the reason China does not want to cut off all links with NK is because they themselves are surrounded with American military bases that could pose a threat to their national security. Establishing Chinese bases on island in the South China Sea is precisely to provide a point of interception between the American bases and the Chinese mainland. As the NK nuclear threat continues to build, these countries will increasingly question their political support for the US bases. The whole indo-chino pacific region could experience a push-back against American military presence in the region, with massive consequences for American foreign politics.

Can Trump tolerate any feedback that his self declared 'success' with Kim is an illusion? So far whenever anything contradicts his perceptions of reality he reacts blaming the messenger. He calls it 'fake news' or otherwise disparages the source rather than acknowledge he might have been wrong. Not paying attention to history he does not realize how challenging, if not nigh impossible, to get the North Koreans to stick to a deal.

Kent Harrington rebukes Trump who refuses to realise that diplomacy between the United States and North Korea is not well-oiled after so much “self-congratulations” following the historic summit in June with Kim Jong-un. Obviously Trump has not been able to convince Kim to abandon his nuclear programme. Despite setbacks in recent weeks Trump consistently claims that negotiations with Pyongyang are "going well” and ignores the US intelligence findings about North Korea stepping up its nuclear activities – “accelerating production of solid-fuel rocket engines and an ICBM-armed submarine.”The author says Trump “needs to put substance ahead of spectacle – and US allies ahead of his own fragile ego – before it is too late.” The hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton, who in the past advocated for regime change, has called for not only denuclearisation, “but also rapid disarmament of all of North Korea’s unconventional weapons.” He seems have “a plan for dismantling all of North Korea’s nuclear-, chemical-, and biological-weapons programs within a year.” The comment was seen as an attempt to rein in Mike Pompeo’s shuttle diplomacy after being shut out of talks with Pyongyang. Although Kim and Trump held talks and pledged to denuclearise the Korean peninsula, the accord did not have a timetable for the process or plan to carry it out. There has been little progress reported towards denuclearisation. Last week North Korea accused the US of making "gangster-like" demands for the process, and branded the Americans’ attitude at high-level talks as "extremely troubling". Two days ago, Trump defended Pyongyang, saying there was "no time limit" for North Korea to denuclearise and that there was no need to rush the process. It marked a shift in tone from previous demand, which said nuclear disarmament would start "very quickly," The author says Japan and South Korea are deeply concerned about “the contradictions between Trump’s rhetoric and his own intelligence services’ findings.” They also worry about his “unpredictable behavior toward US allies.” He calls European allies “foes” while admiring and heaping praise on dictators, which he takes pleasure in showing. He spewed contempt for long-time allies at G7 in June, while being all smiles when he met Kim Jong-un days later. He humiliated Theresa May and Angela Merkel while in Europe last week, sowing discord within NATO, before he met Putin, his puppetmaster in Helsinki. As Trump is desperate to succeed where his predecessors had failed, he seems prepared to be patient with Kim Jong-un and to not push too hard. “White House officials are now suggesting that Trump could use the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September to hold another meeting with Kim, as if rekindling the two leaders’ ‘bromance’ will lead to serious negotiations.” It’s unclear whether Kim would come to the US at all given the lack of trust and confidence. He might fear a detention or an assassination. The author urges Trump to confront Kim with the latest intelligence findings. The US can no longer be content with “platitudes about denuclearization” from North Korea, it needs to make “serious arms-control efforts to reduce the risks on the Korean Peninsula.” Pyongyang relies heavily on Beijing to stay afloat economically. At the moment China has little incentives to help Trump navigate the nuclear waters, since he has imposed tariffs on Chinese imports to the US.

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